Dash vs Turtl
Dash
dashnote.ioTurtl
turtlapp.comSide by side
| Figure | Dash | Turtl |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $3/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 4 |
| Spec score · Secure Notes Apps | 8.9 (#4) | 8.7 (#6) |
| Spec score · Note-taking apps | 8.8 (#36) | 9.3 (#8) |
| Encryption | Locked notes use AES-256-GCM with keys derived through PBKDF2-SHA256 using 600,000 iterations. | Turtl encrypts data on the client before transmission, so stored server data remains unreadable without users' keys. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations | Ollama,LM Studio | The official feature and download pages describe Chrome and Firefox bookmarking extensions and Android sharing, but do not list other integrations. |
| Note sharing | Yes | Yes |
| Offline access | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | web,macOS,iOS,Android via web PWA | The download page lists Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Chrome and Firefox bookmarking extensions, and says iOS is coming soon. |
Plans
Dash
- Web PWA / iPhonePrice not published
- Dash Sync Monthly$4.99 a month
- Dash Sync Yearly$47.99 a year
- Dash for iPhoneFree
- Dash Web PWAFree
- Dash Sync monthly$4.99 a month
- Dash for Mac$14.99, paid once
- Dash Sync yearly$47.99 a year
In their own words
Dash
Dash is a private notes app for Mac and iPhone, with a web PWA that also supports Android. Notes remain on the device and the app works offline unless sync is enabled. Locked notes use AES-256-GCM encryption, with keys derived through PBKDF2-SHA256 using 600,000 iterations. App locking supports a master password, Touch ID or Face ID, and configurable auto-lock timers. A duress password opens decoy notes while actual notes remain encrypted; notes can also be configured to delete after one hour, one day, one week, or one month. Its block editor includes wiki-style links, folders, and tags. Local AI can connect to Ollama, LM Studio, LocalAI, Jan, and other OpenAI-compatible servers running on localhost, and rejects non-local endpoints. Pages and folders export as Markdown, DOCX, or PDF, and encrypted.dashpack backups are supported. Dash is open source under the MIT license. The web PWA and iPhone options are free. Dash for Mac is $14.99 a month, billed as lifetime access with no subscription required. Sync is $4.99 a month or $47.99 a year, each with a 7-day free trial.
Turtl
Turtl is a collaborative notebook for organizing bookmarks, passwords, files, shopping lists, and other notes. It supports text, bookmark, password, image, and document notes, with full-text search, tag filtering, Markdown, and TeX math rendering. Users can create Spaces, choose collaborators, and set permissions from read-only access through full ownership. Turtl says data is encrypted in the app before leaving the device, using keys derived from the user's email and password. Shared items get separate random keys, so recipients can unlock only the item shared with them. The service warns that an intercepted email invitation could expose a shared Space if its secret is not communicated separately. Users can import or export their full profile for backup or migration, and can install the open-source server to host their own data. Listed platforms include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with Chrome and Firefox bookmarking extensions; offline access is supported. Premium costs $3/mo and includes 10GB note data and 10 collaborators per Space; Business costs $8/mo and includes 50GB and dedicated support.